Happy Friday lazy green people!

Now, this might sound a little odd; but I think the cauliflower might just have replaced my Friday night treat of Indian takeaway and a bag of crisps (not necessarily consumed together I might add…). previously, I’ve associated this classic vegetable  with the staple roast dinner dish: cauliflower cheese. But since going vegan, I have long lost hope of recreating a dairy free version, as Vegan cheeses and cheese sauces generally don’t float my boat!

But when, this week, a friend offered me a cauliflower that she wasn’t going to eat (a perfect example of zero waste sharing!), I decided to make a nice big curry with it in advance of a Friday night in. This way I could save money on takeaway AND the plastic they are often delivered in.

What a cheerily good solution to a friend’s unwanted veg, an impending overdraft limit and an already bursting cupboard of past takeaway tubs! I even shredded the leaves and threw them in to add some greenery; feeling smug for throwing together the most waste free, healthy curry ever. That was, until I was left with the hard stubby bit…

I have learnt in the past that the hard stalks of broccoli taste awesome when roasted in the oven with a bit of oil and garlic, but I have since discovered that the cauliflower stalk takes this to another level.

With the leftover stalk, I sliced it as thin as I could into disks, and drizzled them with chilli oil and black pepper. I then roasted them in the oven for about 30 minutes until they were really crispy. Once out of the oven I sprinkled sea salt on them and left to cool.

I must admit, I had all intentions of putting them aside as a treat for tonight after my curry. But after trying one (just to make sure they were OK, obviously…) I ate the lot! They were really crispy and delicious, and they felt more filling than normal crisps so I didn’t need a whole bowl of them.

Now all I need to do is make a new batch ready for tonight, and treat myself to a nice large glass of wine (ethically sourced of course) ready for the last two days of Zero Waste Week!